Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Perverse, wrong, nonsensical: Used to describe speech, actions, or ideas that are fundamentally incorrect, improper, or lacking sense. It implies a deviation from what is right, logical, or acceptable.
   • Foolish, absurd: Indicates behavior or talk that is silly, ridiculous, or without serious thought.

2. Adverb (colloquial):

   • Wrongly, nonsensically: Modifies a verb to describe an action performed in a mistaken, improper, or senseless manner.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Đừng có nghĩ mấy ý tầm bậy đó. (Don't think those wrong/nonsensical ideas.)
  • Lời nói tầm bậy của nó làm mọi người khó chịu. (His perverse/foolish talk made everyone uncomfortable.)
• Adverb:
  • Nó cứ nói tầm bậy hoài. (He just keeps talking nonsense/wrongly.)

Advanced Usage

• The word is often used in informal or colloquial contexts to strongly criticize the quality or morality of someone's speech or actions.
• It can be intensified by reduplication: "tầm bậy tầm bạ", which conveys a stronger sense of being utterly wrong, nonsensical, or disorderly.
  • Việc làm tầm bậy tầm bạ đó sẽ gây hậu quả. (Those utterly wrong/foolish actions will have consequences.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bậy (adj/adv): Wrong, improper. A simpler and more common root with similar meaning.
  • Nói bậy. (To speak improperly.)
• Tầm bậy tầm bạ (adj/adv, colloquial): An intensified form meaning completely wrong, nonsensical, or haphazard.

Synonyms

• Sai (adj): Incorrect, wrong.
• Vô lý (adj): Illogical, unreasonable.
• Ngớ ngẩn (adj): Foolish, silly.
• Bậy bạ (adj): Improper, indecent (often with a moral connotation).

Related Idioms and Phrases

• Ăn nói tầm bậy: To speak foolishly or improperly.
  • Thằng bé hay ăn nói tầm bậy. (The boy often speaks foolishly.)
• Làm tầm bậy: To act wrongly or foolishly.
  • Đừng có làm tầm bậy ở đây. (Don't do anything wrong/foolish here.)

adj

1. perverse, wrong